Method and apparatus for plant culture

ABSTRACT

A method for plant culture including the steps of growing plants, which produce elongated flexible portions, in supported relation on a structure; permitting the flexible portions to grow; and moving the flexible portions substantially into predetermined positions relative to the plants for subsequent plant cultural practices. An apparatus comprising a frame adapted to be disposed adjacent to the plants and having a laterally projecting portion; and a mechanism for moving the flexible portions of the plants into positions overlaying the support portion of the frame extending laterally of the plants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for plantculture and more particularly to such a method and apparatus which areadapted to training the growth of plants in such a fashion as tofacilitate the maintenance and productivity thereof by segregating theareas of growth, all in a manner which minimizes the amount of manuallabor required to accomplish the foregoing while concomitantly makingpossible substantially the full automation of such care.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Operations associated with the raising of field crops are dependent upona multiplicity of factors inherent in the nature of the crop, the growthpatterns of the plants, the susceptibility of the plants to parasitesand disease, and, more generally, the horticultural practices requiredin producing the desired results. It has long been known, for example,that the natural growth patterns of the plants may interfere with theperformance of some or all of these operations. The training of plantsin an effort to minimize or overcome these difficulties is a necessityin modern farming operations.

For example, the successful commercial production of grapes and raisinshas long been dependent upon the training of the grapevines on trellisstructures to support the grapevines not only for harvesting of the croptherefrom, but also for those horticultural practices required in asuccessful commercial operation. Left without support, grapevines of allvarieties would trail on the ground in such a fashion as to makecommercial production completely impossible. Therefore, grapevines aretypically grown in rows supported on trellis structures which retain thetrunks in upright attitudes so that the crop is, in large part, retainedout of ground engagement; so that the canes can be pruned after harvestto prepare the vines for the next growing season; so that the grapevinescan be sprayed with insecticide and fertilized as necessary; and so thatthe grapevines can otherwise be cared for in a manner consistent withthe current state of technology.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, farming is still plagued by chronicdifficulties incident to these considerations. The increase in the costof manual labor has caused commercial farming operations to rely moreheavily on mechanization. However, many of the foregoing considerationshave prevented full mechanization as a means of maintaining the cost ofsuch commercial operations within manageable proportions. Thus, forexample, in the case of the commercial production of grapes and raisins,the natural growth patterns of the grapevines are in many cases directlyin conflict with those procedures which must be performed in any suchcommercial operations. Thus, it is known that the canes of the grapevinewhich produce the crop do so substantially only in the second season ofgrowth. Thus, the canes grow in a first season and those same canesproduce the crop in the second season. Conversely, once the fruitingcanes have produced a crop, they are no longer as productive and properhorticultural practice calls for those canes, once the crop has beenharvested, to be pruned from the grapevine to make room for the growthof new or renewal canes. Unfortunately, the canes naturally grow in ahaphazard, random manner which makes it exceedingly difficult todistinguish a first year's growth from a second year's growth.Accordingly, a chronic problem resides in the fact that unskilledlaborers frequently prune canes which should be left for the nextseason's production and mistakenly avoid pruning canes which should beremoved to make way for new cane growth in the subsequent season. Thisnot only reduces production in the following years, but is alsoexceedingly expensive.

Similarly, the random growth pattern of grapevines, even when supportedon conventional trellis structures, results in the canes, foliage andcrop being so intermixed as to interfere with such operations asharvesting, spraying, pruning, and the like. Similarly, the foliage andcanes typically enclose the crop in such a manner that moisture producedby inclement weather is largely entrapped, thereby damaging the crop.Even during clear weather, the desired direct exposure of the crop tosunlight is reduced by the foliage of the grapevines.

Still another example can be found in the vine drying of grapes to formraisins. It has been known to dry grapes on the vine to form raisins inorder to avoid the more common process of laying the grapes on trays onthe ground for drying. The conventional vine drying of grapes to formraisins calls for the grapes to be sprayed with a substance, such asmethyl oleate, to remove the protective coating from the grapes and tosever the canes at a particular time to enhance the dehydration process.However, due to the entanglement of the fruiting canes with the renewalcanes, it is extremely difficult for field workers to distinguishbetween the canes. Furthermore, the encapsulating foliage interfereswith spraying of the grapes and exposure to sunlight. Accordingly, suchconventional vine drying methods have proved less than satisfactory.

Therefore, it has long been known that it would be desirable to have amethod and apparatus for plant culture which is capable of trainingplants in such a fashion as to be fully compatible with thehorticultural practices required, which substantially increases theefficiency with which commercial farming operations can operate, whichmakes possible substantially the full automation of such farmingoperations, which has particular utility in the commercial production ofgrapes and raisins, and which is otherwise fully dependable in achievingthe most economic and productive farming operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved method and apparatus for plant culture.

Another object is to provide such a method and apparatus which are fullycompatible with all of the horticultural practices required of asuccessful commercial farming operation and which, in addition, socontrol the growth of the plants trained thereby to position theportions thereof for the most efficient and effective performance ofeach step in the process.

Another object is to provide such a method and apparatus which haveparticular utility in the commercial production of grapes and raisins.

Another object is to provide such a method and apparatus which arecapable of segregating the various portions of the plants into growthzones for the subsequent performance of the various horticulturalpractices required.

Another object is to provide such a method and apparatus which reduce toan absolute minimum the manual labor required in such a commercialfarming operation while so arranging the plants as to make possible asubstantially fully automated farming operation.

Another object is to provide such a method and apparatus which are fullycompatible with present commercial farming operations permitting them tobe introduced to an existing farming operation without a radical changein existing procedures.

Another object is to provide such a method and apparatus which, whenapplied to the farming of grapevines, permit the first year, or renewalcanes, to be segregated from the second year, or fruiting canes, therebypermitting the fruiting canes to be pruned from the grapevines afterharvest without in any way risking damage to the renewal canes.

Further objects and advantages are to provide improved elements andarrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which isdependable, economical, durable and fully effective in accomplishing itsintended purposes.

These and other objects and advantages are achieved, in the preferredembodiment of the method of the present invention, by providing for thesteps of growing plants, which produce elongated, flexible portions, insupported relation on a structure; permitting the flexible portions togrow; and moving the flexible portions substantially into predeterminedpositions relative to the plants on a seasonally discriminate basis forsubsequent plant cultural practices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the apparatus of thepresent invention shown in a typical operative environment deployed forthe practice of the method of the present invention and showing a singlegrapevine supported therein for illustrative convenience.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged, transverse vertical section taken fromthe position indicated by line 2--2 in FIG. 1 and additionally showing asecond row of grapevines within which a second apparatus of the presentinvention has been installed.

FIG. 3 is a somewhat further enlarged, fragmentary transverse verticalsection taken on line 3--3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a still further enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of acontrol wire support assembly of the apparatus of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the apparatus for plantculture of the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral10 in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the earth's surface isindicated at 11. As will subsequently become more clearly apparent, themethod and apparatus of the present invention have application to a widevariety of plants. For illustrative convenience, however, they are shownand described herein in regard to grapevines. Thus, referring moreparticularly to FIG. 2, a first row of grapevines is indicated at 12 onthe left therein and a second row of grapevines is indicated at 13 onthe right. The rows of grapevines are separated by a path 14 along whichvehicles and field workers would normally pass in caring for thegrapevines. It will be understood that the rows of grapevines 12 and 13are a portion of a vineyard consisting of a multiplicity of similarsubstantially parallel rows of grapevines.

Each row of grapevines 12 and 13 is comprised of a plurality of plantsor grapevines 15 planted in the earth in predetermined spaced relation.Each grapevine has a trunk 16 which, as will be described, is supportedby the apparatus 10. Each grapevine is trained to have a cordon 17 atthe upper end thereof extending laterally of the trunk and from whichflexible portions, or canes 18 grow. It is the canes which produce thecrop, in this case bunches of grapes 19, and foliage 20. Each grapevineis planted, in the conventional fashion, in a berm 21 which is simply amounded portion of earth within which and along which the grapevines areplanted.

It will be understood that the planting of the grapevines 15 insubstantially parallel rows, the training of grapevines in supportedrelation on stakes and the normal horticultural growth patternheretofore described of grapevines is, of course, entirely conventional.However, the method and apparatus of the present invention hereinafterdescribed, is novel. As previously described, the method and apparatusof the present invention, while having particular utility in thetraining and care of grapevines, have application to a wide variety oftypes of plants.

For purposes of illustrative convenience, only one grapevine is shown inFIG. 1. It is to be understood, however, that the grapevines are plantedand trained in a manner consistent with the method and apparatus of thepresent invention hereinafter to be described.

The apparatus 10 has a frame or trellis structure 30 which extends theentire length of each row of grapevines and, in the preferredembodiment, is comprised of sub-assemblies which are preferably repeatedin section 31 of the apparatus. The portion of the apparatus 10 shownfragmentarily in FIG. 1 is one such section 31 which, in a single row,may possess ten or more such sections extending continuously throughoutthe length of the row. The number of sections employed is dependentsubstantially only on the length of the row.

As shown in FIG. 1, the end of the trellis structure 30 is indicated at32. The trellis structure 33 including a T-frame 34. The T-frame has anupright member 35, which is preferably a steel pipe, mounted in the berm21 within a concrete foundation 36. The upright member is preferablycanted at an angle, as shown in FIG. 1, to true vertical so that itextends upwardly and toward the left, as viewed in FIG. 1. A crossmember 37, also preferably a steel pipe, is mounted, as by welding, onthe upright member 35 in a substantially horizontal attitudesubstantially normal to the upright member and to the row. A piling 38is mounted in the berm 21, using concrete if desired, endwardly of theend trellis structure 32. High tension retention wires 39 interconnectthe piling 38 and the cross member 37 to assist in retaining the T-frame34 in the attitude described.

There is, of course, a high tension support structure 33 at the oppositeend of the row mounted in the earth in the manner heretofore described,but with the T-frame 34 thereof mounted so as to be canted in theopposite direction for the same purpose.

A control wire mounting assembly 45 is mounted on the cross members 37of the T-frames 34 at the opposite ends of the row. Each mountingassembly consists of a pair of brackets 46 mounted by welding on theupper surface of the cross member 37 in spaced relation. The bracketsare interconnected by a rod 47 extending therebetween.

The trellis structure 30 includes a multiplicity of upright members orstakes 48 mounted in the berm 21 in predetermined spaced relation toeach other extending throughout the length of the row. The stakes may beconstructed of wood or metal and have upper ends 49 which are alignedlongitudinally of the row at the same elevation. A central member orpivot wire 50 is mounted on and interconnects the cross members 37 ofthe T-frames 34 at the opposite ends of the row extending therebetweenand across the upper ends 49 of the stakes 48. The upper ends 49 of thestakes are preferably connected to the pivot wire 50 by any suitablemeans, such as a staple or bracket not shown. It will be understood thatthe trellis structure, including the high tension support structures 33and the pivot wire 50 comprises a structure not dependent upon thestakes 48 for support, but operating entirely independently thereof.Thus, if a stake 48 is broken or otherwise damaged, it can be removedand replaced without in any way compromising the strength of the trellisstructure 30.

Each section 31 of the trellis structure 30 has several cross memberassemblies 55. Each cross member assembly is mounted on a selected oneof the stakes 48, as best shown in FIG. 1. Where the stakes are metal,the cross member assembly thereof can be secured by welding or usingscrews, not shown. Where the stakes are wood, the cross member assemblycan be secured thereon by wood screws, not shown. Each cross memberassembly has a central V-frame 56 defining an upwardly facing channel57. Horizontal members 58 are mounted, as by welding, on the V-frameextending in opposite directions therefrom and aligned horizontally witheach other. The horizontal members each have a plurality of wire holes59 extending therethrough. In the preferred embodiment, each horizontalmember has four such wire holes. A hook 60 is mounted, as by welding, oneach horizontal member with the open portion 61 of the hook facing inthe direction of the channel 57.

Each section 31 of the trellis structure 30 preferably has a controlwire support assembly 70 mounted at a suitable location therein so thatthe control wire support assemblies of the sections 31 are substantiallyequally spaced throughout the length of the row. Each support assemblyincludes an upright sleeve or pipe 71 mounted in the berm 21 inconcrete, not shown. The pipe has a cylindrical interior 72 and an upperend portion 73. A pair of notches 74 are formed in the upper end portionof the pipe spaced 180 degrees from each other and aligned transverselyof the row. A pivot member 75 is rotationally received in the interior72 of the pipe 71 for pivotal movement therewithin. The pivot member ispreferably a square tube which has corners in or near contact with thepipe so that the pivot member 75 is retained substantially in axialalignment with the pipe no matter in what pivotal position it isdisposed within the pipe. The pivot member has an upper end 76.

A pivot wire support arm 80, having a mounted end portion 81, isaffixed, as by welding, on the upper end 76 of the pivot member 75 atits mounted end portion 81. Each pivot arm has a downwardly slopedportion 82 and a distal upwardly bent portion 83. The sloped portion andbent portion thereby define an upwardly facing groove 84. As can best beseen in FIG. 2, the upper end portion 73 of the pipe 71 and thus thesupport arm 80 is spaced above the upper ends 49 of the stakes 48.

A control wire assembly 85 is mounted on the trellis structure 30. Thecontrol wire assembly includes a mounting bracket 86 slidably receivedon the rod 47 of the control wire mounting assembly 45. One suchmounting bracket is slidably received on each of the rods 47 of thecontrol wire mounting assemblies 45 at the opposite ends of the row. Acontrol wire 87 is mounted on and extends between the mounting brackets.The control wire is under high tension extending therebetween, but themounting brackets 86 are slidable along their respective control rods47. Accordingly, the control wire is movable between a retractedposition 88 received in the grooves 84 of the support arms 80 and acapturing position 89 received in the hooks 60, as will hereinafter bedescribed.

The trellis structure 30 includes a multiplicity of trellis wires 95mounted on the cross members 37 of the T-frames 34 and extending betweenthe support structures 33 at the opposite ends of the row. The trelliswires 95 are under high tension and individually extend through the wireholes 59 of the horizontal members 58 of each cross member assembly 55.

As shown in FIG. 3, the apparatus 10 has a pivot member or tool 100which is employed in moving the control wire 87 from the retractedposition 88 to the capturing position 89 and in the reverse directionfrom the capturing position 89 to the retracted position 88. The toolhas a body portion 101 on which is mounted a handle portion 102. A hook103 is secured, as by welding, on the body portion and is operable forengagement with the pivot wire 50. The body portion 101 has a distal endportion 104. A wire contact member or plate 105 is secured, as bywelding, on the distal end portion 104 and defines an arcuate receptacle106.

For purposes which will subsequently become more clearly apparent, whenthe support portions 62 of adjacent rows of grapevines which extendtoward each other over the path 14 begin bearing the crop, in accordancewith the method and apparatus of the present invention the non cropbearing support portions of the same rows are individually connected tothe non crop bearing support portions of the next adjacent rows bysuitable wires, not shown. This acts as a counterbalance so that thecrop bearing support portions are supported as the crop grows therebyassisting during harvest and the like. After these work operations arecompleted, the wires are removed.

OPERATION

The operation of the described embodiment of the present invention isbelieved to be readily apparent and is briefly summarized at this point.

The apparatus 10 is mounted in the earth as heretofore described,thereby forming the trellis structure 30 on which the grapevines 15 aresupported and trained. While the grapevines can be trained on thetrellis structure in a variety of different ways, for purposes ofillustrative convenience, it will be understood as described herein thata grapevine is planted on each side of each stake 48 within theirrespective row. The trunk 16 of each grapevine is extended upwardlyalong its respective face of its respective stake, using suitable tiesif necessary. The cordon 17 of each grapevine is then trained along thepivot wire 50 in a direction away from its respective stake. The cordonsof the grapevines of adjacent stakes thus reach toward each other.

The canes 18 of a grapevine 15 grow from the cordon in random fashionand it is the canes that produce the crop, or bunches of grapes 19, aswell as the foliage 20. However, it is known that the canes produced ina single growing season do not produce a crop typically until the nextgrowing season. Therefore, the canes produced in one year must be leftin place until the next season for a crop to be produced. Conversely,the canes which have once produced a crop should be removed by pruningto make room for the growth of canes in the next growing season. Thus,when such pruning takes place, the field workers must, in accordancewith conventional plant culture, be extremely careful to prune away onlythe canes which have already produced a crop. In conventionalhorticultural practices, the canes are randomly positioned on theconventional trellis structure so that the distinction between the canesto be pruned away and the canes to be left in position is obscure. Themethod and apparatus of the present invention completely obviate thisdifficulty as well as possessing numerous other benefits.

Assuming, for purposes of illustrative convenience, that the descriptionhereinafter to follow is to be with grapevines not having any canes 18trained on the trellis structure 30, the control wire 87 must be firstpositioned in accordance with the method and apparatus of the presentinvention. This may best be visualized upon reference to FIG. 2. Inaccordance with the method and apparatus of the present invention, it isthe objective to have the first and second rows of grapevines 12 and 13,respectively, produce crops, as shown in FIG. 2, on the support portions62 thereof extending toward each other in the direction of the path 14therebetween. For purposes of visualizing how the crop is produced inthe manner shown in FIG. 2, it should be visualized that at this pointthere are no canes, foliage or bunches of grapes borne by the supportportions. Rather only the trunk 16 and cordon 17 of each grapevine issupported in the trellis structure as previously described.

In order to dispose the apparatuses 10 of the respective first andsecond rows of grapevines 12 and 13 in the arrangement required for thepractice of the method hereof, the support arms 80 of each row arelifted from their respective notches 74 of the control wire supportassembly 70 and pivoted 180 degrees to the positions opposite to thatshown in FIG. 2 and placed in the notches 74 avaiable therefor. Thus,more specifically, the support arms 80, when properly positioned at thistime, extend in the opposite directions to those shown in FIG. 2 andaway from the path 14 between the first and second rows of grapevines.The control wire 87 of each apparatus is then positioned in the grooves84 of the support arms of its respective row or, in other words, in theretracted positions 88 farthest from the support portions extending intopath 14.

During the growing season, the cordons 17 of the grapevines 15 arepermitted to grow the canes 18 in the natural, random fashion which canbe visualized upon reference to FIG. 3. During the growing season, thecontrol wire 87 of each apparatus 10 is then moved to the capturingposition 89. Such movement can be accomplished using the tool 100. Thehook 103 of the tool is positioned on the pivot wire 50 of the apparatuswith the control wire received in the receptacle 106 of the plate 105,as best shown in FIG. 3. Grasping the handle portion 102, the tool ispivoted about the pivot wire from the position shown in full lines inFIG. 3 to the position shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3 wherein theplate 105 is directly in juxtaposition to the open portion 61 of thehook 60. The control wire is then simply slipped from the receptacle 106through the open portions 61 for retention by the hooks 60. Suchmovement of the control wire along the entire length of the row, causesthe control wire to engage the canes 18 and carry them from the randomlygrown positions visualized in FIG. 3 to a position overlaying thesupport portion 62 of the trellis structure 30, as shown in phantomlines in FIG. 3. It has been found that the best time to move thecontrol wire during the growing season is when the new canes are about18 to 24 inches in length. At this length the canes are not so fragileas to be damaged by the control wire nor so strong as to make suchmovement of the control wire difficult. This would normally be in aboutMay of the year.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2, the canes 18 are thus positionedin overlaying relation to the support portions 62 of the first andsecond rows of grapevines 12 and 13, respectively, which extend towardeach other in the direction of the path 14 between the rows. The controlwires 87 of the respective apparatuses 10 of the rows are left in thecapturing position 89 until sometime prior to the next growing season.The canes are thus held in the positions described.

Prior to the next growing season, the control wires 87 of theapparatuses 10 are moved to positions which constitute retractedpositions 88 for purposes of positioning the canes to be trained on thesupport portions 62 of the trellis structures 30 on the opposite sidesas shown in FIG. 2. For this purpose, the support arms 80 of therespective apparatuses are lifted and rotated 180 degrees to thepositions shown in FIG. 2 and received in their respective notches 74 oftheir respective support assemblies 70. Manually, or using the tool 100,the control wire of each apparatus 10 is positioned in the grooves 84 ofthe support arms 80 of their respective apparatuses in the positionsshown in FIG. 2. During the growing season, the canes 18 are permittedto grow from the cordons 17 of the grapevines 15 in the random mannerpreviously described and as shown in FIG. 3. At the appropriate timeduring the growing season, previously described, the control wires 87 ofthe respective apparatuses are then moved, as previously described,using the tool 100 from the retracted positions 88 to the capturingpositions 89 retained therein by the hooks 60. Such movement carries thecanes to the positions overlaying the support portions 62 on theopposite sides of the respective rows of grapevines remote from the path14 between the first and second rows of grapevines 12 and 13. Thecontrol wires are left in these positions until the appropriate timeprior to the next growing season.

More or less simultaneously with the growth of the canes 18 describedimmediately above, the canes captured on the support portions 62 of thetrellis structure 30 extending toward each other and in the direction ofthe path 14 produce the crop or bunches of grapes 19 as shown in FIG. 2.The crop is thereby disposed at substantially a common level and onadjoining sides of the path 14 for convenient harvest. As previouslynoted, the non crop bearing support portions of the first and secondrows of grapevines 12 and 13 respectively are individually connected atthis time to the non crop bearing support portions of their respectivenext adjacent rows by a plurality of wires to provide support to thetrellis structures of rows 12 and 13. This acts to counterbalance theweight of the crop while leaving the path 14 open for the passage oftractors, mechanical harvesters and the like.

The method and apparatus of the present invention have particularutility in the vine drying of grapes to form raisins. This processconventionally calls for the canes 18 bearing the bunches of grapes 19to be severed at a particular time prior to harvest so that dehydrationof the grapes thereof takes place while the grapes are still on thevine. As can be visualized in FIGS. 2 and 3, such severing is easilyaccomplished by pruning the canes at the positions within the channels57 defined by the V-frames 56 of the cross member assemblies 55. Sinceonly canes bearing fruit are entrained on that side of the trellisstructure, such pruning or severing can be accomplished with little orno training of field workers. Alternatively, mechanized pruning of thecanes by passage through the channel is possible. At the proper timethereafter, the vine-dried raisins are available for harvest simply bypassing along the path 14 between the first and second rows ofgrapevines 12 and 13 using field workers or mechanized harvestingequipment.

At the end of the growing season, whether the grapevines 15 were grownto produce grapes or dehydrated raisins, the canes on the adjacentsupport portions 62 are removed together with any foliage, and bunchesof grapes or portions thereof remaining. Where the severing of the caneshas been performed as previously described in the vine drying of grapes,such removal requires only physically pulling these portions of thegrapevines from the adjacent support portions 62. Where no such vinedrying of grapes has taken place, the canes 18 must be severed to permitsuch removal to take place.

In the subsequent or third growing season, the method heretoforedescribed is repeated in that the canes 18 are permitted to grow inrandom fashion until the appropriate time during the growing seasonafter which the control wires 87 of the respective apparatuses 10 aremoved from the retracted positions 88 remote from the path 14 betweenthe first and second rows of grapevines 12 and 13 to the capturingpositions 89 to capture the canes on the support portions 62 of thetrellis structures 30. Similarly, the canes which have been captured onthe support portions of the trellis structures remote from the path 14from the first and second rows of grapevines are permitted to producethe crop for harvest as previously described. It will be understood thateach row is adjacent to another row which similarly has its cropentrained on the support portion of its trellis structure extendingtoward the support portion bearing the crop of that row. Thus,harvesting and other work operations are again facilitated by beingperformed on adjacent sides of adjoining rows in a single pass ifdesired.

The method and apparatus of the present invention are not onlybeneficial in the many respects heretofore set forth, but also makepossible a host of operational advantages and capabilities. Since thecrop is trained to grow substantially only in zones of predefined heightand width and since the crops of adjoining rows are adjacent to eachother, mechanical harvesting of the crop in single passes, using eitherconventional or mechanical harvesters hereafter to be invented therefor,is possible. Similarly, mechanized pruning of the canes during thegrowing season is possible in that a circular saw can be passed alongeach row traveling in the channel 57 defined by the V-frames 56 of thecross member assemblies 55 to sever all of the canes in a single pass.Since, as can thus be visualized in FIG. 2, the foliage 20 produced bythe canes is substantially all above the support portion 62 of thetrellis structure 30, shredding of this material can mechanically beachieved by passage of conventional shredding equipment above thesupport portion or by the use of mechanized equipment yet to be inventedfor this purpose.

Similarly, since the foliage 20 is largely above the support portions 62and the crop largely suspended below the support portions, the crops areexposed to sunshine which assists in producing a higher grade crop. Inthe case of grapes, such exposure is known to produce a higher sugarcontent. In the production of raisins, vine-dried as previouslydescribed, the exposure of the grapes to sunlight hastens the dryingprocess. Still further, rain occurring during the growing season is notentrapped in the foliage surrounding the grapes as in conventionalsystems, but is permitted to drain off and evaporate by the increasedexposure to subsequent sunlight and air currents. Similarly, since thefoliage, crop and canes are substantially contained within discretezones, the spraying of any or all of these portions of the grapevineswith, for example, insecticides, dehydration enhancers in the case ofraisins, and the like can much more efficiently be accomplished. Since,as previously described, the crop producing canes are segregated fromthe renewal canes and pruning can be performed substantially withouterror, the crop production is maximized.

Therefore, the method and apparatus for plant culture of the presentinvention provide an extremely efficient and dependable means by whichcrops can be grown for mechanized treatment and handling with minimalmanual labor, with little or no training of field workers, to produce asuperior crop of maximum volume and in such a fashion as to lend itselfto full mechanized farming of such plants, and having particular utilityin application to the commercial farming of grapevines.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what isconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention which is not to be limited to the illustrative detailsdisclosed.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:
 1. A method of seasonally growing andharvesting crops from the canes of vines wherein the canes are grown ina first growing season and the crops are grown from said canes in asecond growing season thereafter, the method comprising the steps of:A.growing the vines in supported relation on a structure having a pair ofsupport portions projecting laterally from the vines in differentdirections; B. permitting said canes of the vines to grow in a firstgrowing season; C. moving the first set of canes grown in the firstgrowing season onto one of said support portions of the structure; D.permitting a second set of canes of the vines to grow in a secondgrowing season; E. moving the second set of canes onto the other of saidsupport portions of the structure; F. permitting said first set of canesto grow a crop in said second growing season; and G. harvesting the cropgrown by said first set of canes in said second growing season.
 2. Amethod of seasonally growing and harvesting crops from the canes ofvines in which said canes are grown in a first growing season and thecrops are grown from said canes in a second growing season thereafter,the method comprising the steps of:A. growing the vines in upstandingrelation on a trellis structure having a pair of support portionsprojecting laterally from said vines in substantially oppositedirections; B. permitting the canes of the vines to grow; C. moving thefirst set of canes grown in a first growing season onto one of saidsupport portions of the trellis structure; D. moving the second set ofcanes grown in a second growing season onto the other of said supportportions of the trellis structure; E. permitting said first set of canesto grow a crop in said second growing season; F. harvesting the cropgrown by said first set of canes in said second growing season; G.removing said first set of canes; H. permitting a third set of canes togrow in a third growing season; I. moving said third set of canes ontosaid one of said support portions in place of said first set of canes insaid third growing season; J. permitting said second set of canes togrow a crop in said third growing season; and K. harvesting the cropgrown by said second set of canes in the third growing season.